Rail-joint.



PATENTED MAR. 26, 1907.

G. J. RICHARDSON.

RAIL JOINT. APPLICATION FILED SBPT.1,1906.

! vwen for UNITED STATES PATENT orrron.

GEORGE J. RICHARDSON, OF -WEST CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA.

RAiL-JOENT.

No. cease" Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 2c 1907 Application filed September 1, 1906. Serial No.332,919.

vented new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, of which thefollowing is a speci-- fication.

This invention relates to joints for railwayrails; and it has for itsobject to provide a joint for the abuttingends of the rails whereby therails shall be securely connected against displacement either laterallyor longitudinally and whereby a smooth and unbroken rail-surface shallbe provided.

' Other objects of the invention are to simplify and improve theconstruction and operation of the joint.

ith these and other ends in view, which will readily appear asthe natureof the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improvedconstruction and novel arrangement and combination of parts, which willbe hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in theclaim.

In the accompanyin drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferredform of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitationis necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited,but

that changes, alteration, and modifications within the scope of theinvention may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view showing the abutting endsof two rails connected by the improved joint. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the planeindicated by the line 3 3 in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective viewshowing the two abutting rail ends separated.v

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by likecharacters of reference.

The abutting rail ends 1 and 2 are provided with interlocking dovetailedmortises and tenons, the end of one of the rails 1 being provided in thehead thereof with a dovetailed mortise 3, adapted to receive acorrespondingly-shaped tenon 4, projecting endwise from the head of therail 2, while the latter is provided with a mortise 5, extending fromits under surface upwardly into the web dentalT 6 for the reception ofthe dovetailed tenon 7,

which projects from the web 8 of the rail 1. It will be readily seenthat when the rails are arranged in longitudinal alinement by elevatingthe end of the rail 2 the tenons 7 and 4 may be placed in engagementwith the mortises 5 and 3 and that when the rail ends are thus connectedlongitudinal displacement w ll be practically impossible, owing to thedovetailed configuration of the tenons andmortises. a,

For the purpose ,oi" binding the rail ends together and positivelypreventing disconnection thereof fish-plates 9 are rovided, said fishplates being channel s laped, as clearly seen in Fig. 3 of the drawings,and provided with flanges 10, restin upon the railfla'nges 11 and havingreturnends 12, which extend beneath the rail-flanges, so as to sup-'port the latter. The fish-plates and the rails are provided withregistering apertures for the passage of the connecting-bolts 13, havingnuts 14, which latter are provided with radial grooves 15 in their innerfaces. The fish-plates, which are directly engaged by the nuts, areprovided adjacent to the bolt-holes with lugs 16, adapted to engage theradial grooves in the inner faces of the nuts for the purpose of lockingthe latter in position. Springs 17 are placed upon the bolts between thefish-plates and the webs of the rails, the tendency of said springsbeing to force the fish-plates outwardly in order that the radial lockin-grooves of the nuts shall not be accidisengaged from the locking-lugs16.

From the fore oing description, taken in connection with the drawingshereto annexed the operation and advantages of this invention will bereadily understood. The abutting rail ends may be readily connected bysimply elevating the end of the rail having the tenon 4 projecting fromthe head thereof sufficiently to enable the said tenon and the tenon 7of-the opposing rail end to be placed in engagement with the mortisesprovided for their reception. The fish-plates are then placed inposition and secured by means of the bolts and nuts, thus making anextremely durable and effective joint, which has the great advantage ofpresenting a smooth and unbroken surface or. tread for the passage ofthe rolling-stock.

is claimed is v sgri'ngs upon the bolts interposed between In a-Tail-joint, abutting rail ends having t e rail-webs and the fish-plates.I interengagi'ng dovetailed mortises and. ten- In testimony whereof Iaflix my signature 5 011s, in combination with channel-she ed fishinpresence of two witnesses.

plates having bolt-holes and lockingugs ad- GEORGE J RICHARDSON. jacentthereto, bolts extending through the Witnesses:

fish-plates and through the webs of the rails, F. T. BRANHAM, nutshaivingrediel grooves in their inner faces E. E. BAILEY.

Having tnus described the invention, what for engagement with thelocking lugs, and to

